This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 9-65438 and 9-65435 filed on Mar. 3, 1997, and No. 9-60054 filed on Feb. 26, 1997, and No. 9-94664 filed on Mar. 28, 1997, which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention has been achieved for facilitating to wash tubes such as air feeding tubes, water feeding tubes and aspirating tubes disposed in endoscopes, and relates to an endoscope which has washing ports formed in a control section.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 23 schematically shows a conventional electronic endoscope (scope) portion 1 which is composed of a tip section 1A comprising a CCD (charge coupled device), an insert section 1B, a control section 1C and a cable 1D whose end is to be connected to a light source unit and a processor unit for image processing. Disposed on the control section 1C are an angle knob 3, an aspiration button (mechanical switching valve) 4A and an air/water feeding button 4B and a forceps port 5 which used for inserting treating implements toward the tip section to bend a tip section 1A.
Disposed in such an endoscope are an aspirating tube which is a treating tool inserting channel communicated with the forceps port 5 and serves for aspiration, an air feeding tube and a water feeding tube for feeding air and water to the tip section 1A, and so on.
The endoscope which is configured as described above illuminate an interior of a body to be observed with rays which are emitted from the light source unit and transmitted through a light guide and the tip section 1A, and the CCD picks up and observes an image of the interior of the body. During the image pickup and observation, the endoscope allows to feed air and water from the tip section 1A to an observation window, etc. through the air feeding tube and the water feeding tube by manipulating the air/water feeding button 4B, and insert treating implements and aspirate or discharge soiled matters, etc. out of the body through the aspirating tube.
However, the endoscope poses a problem that it does not permit performing efficient washing and disinfection though the endoscope is used in sites of medical treatments and requires to wash and disinfect the tubes. Speaking concretely, the tubes are washed using a brush, but it is difficult to pass the brush at a stroke from the tip section 1A to a tube connector at an end of the cable 1D. The washing brush cannot be inserted deep because the endoscope is long as a whole, and the tubes have remarkably bent parts in the control section 1C and are complicated (partially cut) in a mechanical control section when they are mechanically opened and closed with the aspiration button 4A and the air/water feeding button 4B.
Accordingly, it is conventionally required to flow washing water for a long time, perform tedious washing works and complicate a structure of each section though measures are taken to improve the switching valves so as to allow a washing brush to be inserted as deep as possible.